Q: How soon can you fit me in? A: This varies on how many manuscripts we have lined up to edit, as well as where we might be on a deadline schedule with our own writing. Shorter projects (query letters, synopses, short stories, novellas) can usually be slotted much more quickly. Please email us, including the details of your project, to check our current schedule. Q: How do I reserve a spot in your schedule? First, fill out our contact form or email us the details of your project. Please include:

approximate page count; pages must be double-spaced, 1-inch margins, in Times New Roman size 12 font

date the manuscript will be ready for submission

type of edits you are requesting

sample of your manuscript – the first 10 consecutive pages of the project

We will check our schedule and get back with you to choose a date for your submission. Once we agree on a submission date, we will need 1/3 of the entire balance as a down payment to secure a slot in our editing schedule. Q: Why do I have to submit sample pages? A: This will help us determine the best editor for your material so we can provide you with the most effective feedback possible. Q: Why you so freakishly intense about the formatting of my submission? A: We want you to familiarize yourself with the industry standard, as that is what all agents and editors expect from writers who are serious about seeing a project through to publication. This is also the best way for us to offer the most constructive feedback on your submission. For submission, your manuscript should be formatted as follows:

double-spaced

1-inch margins

Times New Roman font – size 12

chapter headers beginning on a new page, 1/3 of the way down

regular paragraph structure – drop new paragraphs to the next line and indent the length of one ‘tab’ space

regular dialogue structure – drop down to a new line for each speaker, use quotation marks before and after the spoken lines

Q: How do I make a payment for your services? A: You may pay via PayPal, check, or money order. The payment is broken down into three installments:

1/3 of the entire balance as a down payment to reserve a slot in our schedule

1/3 of the entire balance upon submission (we will not begin editing until receiving this portion of the payment)

1/3 of the entire balance upon completion (estimated at 2 weeks after you submit your materials). You are expected to pay the balance within 7 calendar days of completion. We will return your manuscript as soon as we have received your final payment.

Note: for smaller projects – query letters, synopses, short stories, novellas – we require payment in full to be made upfront. Q: How long will it take for you to complete the editing process? A: We go through one round of edits, typically taking two weeks to return feedback. This allows us time to thoroughly ponder the big picture elements of the story as well as the nitpicky details. If we will be longer than the two-week mark, we will contact you with a new return date.Q: May I contact you for clarification on your feedback? A: Of course! We want to be sure that you are clear on all of our suggestions. We will also consider any ideas you have for revision based on our feedback so we can reassure that you are on the right track. We do, however, ask that you review and consider all feedback for a full week before submitting any questions for clarification and that you submit all of your questions at one time. This is our process with our agents and editors, as time and space are essential to brainstorm the best changes to any story. To ensure that your plot is still fresh in our mind, and to offer the best feedback on any questions you have, we ask that you submit your list of questions one to two weeks after we return your manuscript. While we are happy to answer questions based on our initial feedback, we cannot offer a second read after revisions have been made. Q: Are there any types of projects that you decline to edit? A: We do not edit material that is outside our area of expertise – non-fiction; young children’s books in the picture book and chapter book realm. If the content is grossly offensive (excessively sexual or violent in nature), we reserve the right to cancel at any time. Lengthy manuscripts (over 125,000 words, 500 pages) tend to need extensive feedback, and we cannot take on projects of this nature. Incomplete manuscripts are tricky to edit, therefore we make decisions on a case-by-case basis. If you have roughly ½ of a manuscript, we will consider taking the project on, but pages must be consecutive. Note: If you are concerned about content, we are willing to review a sample to let you know if your project is something we can take on. (Side Note: We are all fans of some pretty edgy contemporary novels, TV shows, and movies, so don’t let this stipulation scare you away.)Q: Can you guarantee my manuscript will be published or that I will land an agent? A: In the literary world, as in life, there are no guarantees. We will do our best to guide you as you polish and strengthen your manuscript, but can offer no guarantees regarding agents, editors, or sales. We all have experience teaching English and Creative Writing, from middle and high school students to the university level, as well as adults and teachers learning new ways to teach writing. We all have years of experience working in the publishing industry with multiple books published and can offer practical feedback based on our experience. What you ultimately do (or do not do) with that feedback is up to you. Q: Can you refer me to your agent or editor? A: Sorry! We cannot make referrals to our agents or editors, as per our contractual agreements.Q: What is your cancellation policy? A: Life sometimes throws curveballs, so we understand that things can change. If you know that there will be an issue with the date we have scheduled, please contact us as soon as possible. The cancellation schedule is as follows:

100% refundof the down payment if you cancel at least 2 months before the scheduled date for your edits to begin.

50% refundof the down payment if you cancel between 2 months and 2 weeks of the scheduled date for your edits to begin.

No refundof the down payment if you cancel less than 2 weeks before the scheduled date for your edits to begin.

No refundif you fail to submit your manuscript by the agreed upon date.

Q: What is your rescheduling policy? A: Deadlines can be tricky to meet; trust us, we understand! If you need more time with your project so you can submit the most polished manuscript possible, please contact us. If our schedule allows it, we are certainly willing to reschedule for our next available slot. Please keep in mind that we book several months in advance, so this could push you back quite a bit. We would appreciate you making every effort to submit your project according to our agreed-upon date.

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.